City plan targets engineers' building

TO GO: The central-city blueprint released this week shows Kirk Roberts Consulting Engineers' office building at the corner of Barbadoes and Lichfield streets looks set to be demolished to make way for the planned stadium.

The first large post-earthquake commercial building in central Christchurch looks set to be demolished to make way for the city's stadium.

The central-city blueprint released this week shows Kirk Roberts Consulting Engineers' office building at the corner of Barbadoes and Lichfield streets is earmarked as part of the land needed for the proposed 35,000-seat covered stadium.

Prime Minister John Key officially opened the building in April. At its opening he told the engineers and staff they would be busy for years designing buildings for the city.

"This firm's going to be really busy. If you work for Kirk Roberts, don't expect to have a holiday."

The original building was to be a renovated warehouse, but halfway through the project the February 2011 quake badly damaged the foundations and it was cheaper to knock down the warehouse and start again.

At the time, Kirk Roberts director Jade Kirk said trying to build in the chaotic 14 months after the quakes was a lot more work than normal.